The amount of violent crime committed in the United States against defenseless victims is very high. Many individuals have resorted to carrying pistols for self protection. But carrying a concealed weapon such as a pistol requires a gun permit which, in many states, is difficult to obtain. Consequently, various other devices have been invented for self protection that are relatively easy to obtain. These include devices for producing an electric shock (called "stun guns"), or devices for projecting a chemical substance into the eyes of an assailant such as "Mace". Other devices are designed to sound an alarm such as blowing a horn or whistle.
Unfortunately, carrying a lethal weapon such as a pistol can result in death if the victim is overpowered by the assailant. The use of a stun gun to shock an assailant requires physical contact with the assailant. But this close proximity operation makes the victim vulnerable to being overpowered. Projecting Mace into the eyes of an assailant is not very effective unless the victim is relatively close to the assailant, and hence vulnerable to being overpowered. Sounding an alarm is useless against a determined assailant.
The device introduced herein is designed to render an assailant instantly immobile from a safe distance by temporarily blinding the assailant with an intense flash of light. Since most violent attacks occur at night in a dark environment, such a device or "light gun" can be extremely effective. It will immobilize the assailant long enough to allow the victim to escape to safety. Since the flash is projected at the speed of light, it could even be used when the assailant is carrying a gun thereby making it impossible to aim and fire.